the time has come; the sun is going down much earlier and our rare, warm days are few and far between. as we lay glued to Netflix (no judgment zone) we thought we'd take the time to revisit some of our warmer, happier times.

a few weeks back, lindsay went to portugal and came back glowing from the inside out. and today, we're going to share the deets of the trip so we can all daydream together and remember a time when we were all much, much tanner. we also hope this inspires your trip planning for 2019, immediately.

for a more personal touch, lindsay wrote about her trip —the sights you need to see, the spots you need to stay and the beaches you need to see (you know, the ones that you thought only existed in your imagination)

< < <

we flew into lisbon, rented a car + drove down to get our tanning on immediately in lagos.

hotels:casa mae - this is THE place to stay. if you can’t get in, get a meal here. for bloggers, art lovers + city ppl. no beach.

airbnb - i wish we did this. i really messed up the hotel choice because i couldn’t get into casa mae. we arrived at the avenidos, and it was so small and had no beach. we switched to a beach hotel, but it was very family orinented and not cool if you're looking for more of a fun time. i would, though, highly recommend this option if you want the beach!

beaches to see:ponte di piedad - for boating, canoeing through grottos and other outdoorsy activitiescamilo beach - if you can make it down the steps (or back up should i say?) this is the most amazing beach on earth (that i've seen so far)

other beaches:dona ana, dos tres irmaos and falesia beach

restaurants:get ready for seafood and bread.. lots of it. besides casa mae, try Mar D'Estorias— its super cool with a few art galleries, shops and a roof top bar inside.

lagos is all about walking “inside the city walls,” the beaches and seafood. you need 3-4 days to see it all. it’s somewhat touristy, but worth it for the beaches and food.

we traveled back to lisbon and i couldn’t have been happier to be back in a metro city. i need action, late night snacks and tons to do.

when i say i cannot recommend the hotel H10 Duque de Loulé enough, i mean it. i’m a snob and a half and have stayed in some luxe places. THIS IS JUST IT. it’s so inexpensive compared to hotels in the US and stunning... beyond insta-worthy. under $200/night. brand new. insane restaurant and best rooftop bar in the city.

restaurants:more seafood, more bread and more veg options [thank god].

sea me - philly magazine owner recommended. it’s in the hottest part of town, and quite the experience. if you like seafood and sushi, this is for you.

time out market - this is like harry potter meets reading terminal market. so cool! all the best chefs in the city have a spot here. i was thrilled to finally have vegetarian food.

tours:lisbon eco tours - drive around all day in a little smart car with a gps guide talking to you and have the freedom to do whatever you want! we ate, shopped and didn’t feel pressured with time! plus it was hilarious!